How Dry I Am...

[TexasMike]

Strong agreement with LY. As my instructor is fond of saying, "You are now a student of diving."

 

[Corum]

Drysuits sound really useful, especially in the UK where diving
off Scotland you're looking at 40 degrees not 60.

I have done my training but need to learn drysuiting. There
are two mentions in here about the upside down bouyant
legs problem, but no mention of how to solve it.

Where can I find this and other things, so I don't look like
an idiot when my instructor takes me diving?

Thanks

Corum.

 

[Corum]

Again, still excited about my new drysuit, and I have
about 30lbs of weight to make sure I am able to do
all these fiddly changes.

I know this is my second reply in an hour but I'm
just very keen, go ahead and :whack: me if you
want. There is so much I want to learn about diving,
I am trying to figure it all out, and I wish I had
started 20 years ago, and so on.

I totally can't believe the amount that all my gear
weighs on the surface. The drysuit felt like it was
going to kill me when I put it over my neck. I did what
the manual said and warmed it and put it over a
bucket - I dont have a bucket so I used my main
air cylinder.

On friday my instructor is going to see if I can get
out of the upside down michellin man problem in
my drysuit. I want to be able to do it well.

As for being deep and heavy, in case of BC failure
and in dire emergency I intend to keep my 25kg
lift bag in one of my BC pockets. That should get
me to 10metres for a deco stop pronto.

I liked whoever said about learning from mistakes.
My tank came loose in two of my many lessons,
and last time I told my instructor that it was the
single most important thing for me to get right that
time, he agreed, and I got it on with a satisfying
clank. He wont let me use my Pony till I'm more
experienced, and he doesnt like diving in cold water
so I dont know when I get to do my dives which
are all thats left for me to get a BSAC qualification.
I was thinking of joining PADI as well since they will
let me go diving sooner without so many months
to wait.

Also last time, I was quite exuberant after an hours
successful practice at 12 feet in the pool, and I
did a super ballistic missile surface by fully inflating
my BC. It was great, and I dont regret it, but I've
decided not to do it again in case I forget on a
deeper dive. I felt silly when the other guys surfaced
a minute later very slowly with their hands waving like
periscopes. But I've learned from it, and I got it out
of my system.

Technical details? I spent $2000 on all new kit.
I have a big padded jacket which makes me sweat
all over, my drysuit which makes me look like a
radiation proof soldier, which my mask and reg
don't do anything to disprove, lots of tanks and
things with pipes on which together weigh more
than I do, and lots of lead weights, and some
really huge split fins so I look like a platypus.

I'm keen to go diving but I'm not a nutcase like
some of you will think, divers are the most paranoid
people I've met, the dive shop keeps refusing to
sell me extra safety kit because they think some
things are dangerous even though they sell them.
But I want to do a few dives in SHALLOW, less than
10 metres, (30 foot) water where I can do a fast
ascent of need be, and where I can pick up more
useful experience than in a pool.

Um, hope I explained everything ok. Thanks.

 

[TexasMike]

Originally posted by Corum
Drysuits sound really useful, especially in the UK where diving off Scotland you're looking at 40 degrees not 60.

I have done my training but need to learn drysuiting. There are two mentions in here about the upside down bouyant legs problem, but no mention of how to solve it.

Where can I find this and other things, so I don't look like an idiot when my instructor takes me diving?

Thanks

Corum.

Good on ya to seek out an instructor to teach proper SCUBA with a drysuit. As I mentioned in my original post, there is enough going on with the drysuit that if you're not properly trained for it, it can really overload you on task loading.

Don't worry about looking "like an idiot" when doing something new. A good instructor will realize and know that you are "out of your element" with this new piece of gear and expect you to be making mistakes. That's the whole purpose of training is to show you something new and how to manage it effectively.

"Bouyant legs" will be something that the instructor should cover with you. My way of getting out of the problem is to bend backwards and kick until I'm head's up again and can vent the excess air (if required).

Have fun with your instructor and enjoy the experience!

 

[Corum]

Thanks, TexasMike. I have a clue now. Obviously my
instructor will show me how he likes to do it, but first
he plans to stick me in the situation and see if I can
get out of it. I've sailed thru training so far and I think
he wants to trip me up, but doesn't realise I am actually
a lot more careful than he thinks I am, I always like to
have a plan B, which is why I already bought the Pony
cylinder and so on.

My best plan, for surface righting, was to fully inflate
the drysuit and level off, then vent the air. I take it
this is not likely to work? Either way it would only
work on the surface, and in an uncontrolled ascent
with a bulging drysuit thats NOT where ya wanna be,
is it?

So, I'll bend backwards and bicycle like you suggest.

Thanks again TexasMike!

Corum.